Thoughts For Young Men by J.C. Ryle

condemns their own behavior; they understand that it witnesses
against their own sins, and summons them to judgment. They try to
believe it is false and useless, because they don't like to believe it is
true. An evil lifestyle must always raise an objection to this book.
Men question the truth of Christianity because they hate the practice
of it.
Young men, when did God ever fail to keep His word? Never. What
He has said, He has always done; and what He has spoken, He has
always made good. Did He fail to keep His word at the flood? No. Did
He fail with Sodom and Gomorrah? No. Did He fail with unbelieving
Jerusalem? No. Has He failed with the Jews up to this very hour? No.
He has never failed to fulfill His word. Take care, lest you be found
among those who despise God's Word.
Never laugh at Christianity. Never make a joke of sacred things.
Never mock those who are serious and earnest about their souls. The
time may come when you will count those happy whom you laughed
at--a time when your laughter will be turned into sorrow, and your
mockery into seriousness.
(5) Another danger to young men is the FEAR OF MAN'S OPINION.
"The fear of man" will indeed "prove to be a snare" (Proverbs 29:25). It
is terrible to observe the power which it has over most minds, and
especially over the minds of the young. Few seem to have any
opinions of their own, or to think for themselves. Like dead fish,
they go with the stream and tide: what others think is right, they
think is right; and what others call wrong, they call wrong too. There
are not many original thinkers in the world. Most men are like
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